my Movie

Movie Details

Title:   J.D.'s Revenge
Director:   Arthur Marks
Year:   1976
Genre:   Soul Cinema
Times Seen:   1
Last Seen:   02.13.08

Other Movies Seen By This Director (4)
- Detroit 9000
- Friday Foster
- The Monkey Hu$tle
- The Roomates

Notes History
Date Viewed Venue Note
02.13.08Netflix I knew Glynn Turman was a pretty great actor but I haven't seen him in any movies. I have seen the trailer for this several times as it seems to be an Alamo favorite and I always thought it kind of cheapened the film and Turman's acting ability at the end when it flashes the title followed immediately by Turman saying very casually "...I'm gonna HAVE my revenge." In actuality, this job does a pretty great job of making the possession subtle and organic and that line reading plays in completely different context while I was watching. Actually, every second Turman spends playing the 100% JD part is awesome. Lou Gossett's also pretty good here but this is really Turman's movie.

I feel like he's great in a barely-good movie though. There's really no tension or suspense or anything like that since we all walk in knowing it's about JD's revenge. I guess you spend the movie building up to said revenge and there are a handful of laughs along the way (like the doctor perscribing a break from the studies and a few hits of weed to get rid of Turman's headaches or his best friend telling him that women like getting knocked around every once in a while, saying that guys need to do a little of "that nigger shit to set the lines straight") but there's also a lot of familiar scenes playing out too slowly. Were it not for Turman's great performance, I think this might get pretty sloggy by midpoint.

Anyway, I think I'm too tired to make it out to Weird Wednesday tonight (since I need to be up early for work like all the other non-midnight-movie-seeing chumps out there) but I think since I'm staying in I have enough time to fit in one more netflix: another starring Glynn Turman!

Oh, how did I know he was a good actor without seeing him in any movies you ask? Well, He plays Mayor Royce on The Wire! Talk about a politician I can get behind! sheeeeeeeeeeeit.